JERUSALEM, Aug 10, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 
Netanyahu said Sunday that his new plan to expand the war and take control of 
Gaza City was "the best way to end the war", defying growing calls to stop 
the fighting.

Defending his plan in a press conference in Jerusalem, the premier said the 
new operation would be implemented on "a fairly short timetable because we 
want to bring the war to an end".

More than 22 months into the war, sparked by Hamas's unprecedented attack on 
Israel, the country is gripped by a yawning divide pitting those demanding an 
end to the conflict and a deal for the release of the hostages against others 
who want to see the Palestinian militants vanquished once and for all.

Criticism both at home and abroad has only intensified after Netanyahu's 
security cabinet announced plans Friday to expand the conflict and capture 
Gaza City.

But Netanyahu was defiant on Sunday, telling journalists gathered for a rare 
press conference: "This is the best way to end the war, and the best way to 
end it speedily."

"I don't want to talk about exact timetables, but we're talking in terms of a 
fairly short timetable because we want to bring the war to an end," he added.

The premier said the new operation's aim was "to dismantle the two remaining 
Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps", while establishing 
secure corridors and safe zones to allow civilians to leave the area.

"Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas. 
Now we've done a great deal. We have about 70 to 75 percent of Gaza under 
Israeli control, military control," he said.

"But we have two remaining strongholds, OK? These are Gaza City and the 
central camps in Al Mawasi."

- 'Just another plan' -

The press conference came ahead of a UN Security Council meeting called to 
discuss the situation in Gaza and the new Israeli plan.

It also came a day after thousands of people took to the streets in Tel Aviv 
to protest the security cabinet's decision.

"The new plan is just another plan that is gonna fail, and it could very well 
be the end of our hostages, and of course, it will take probably more lives 
of our soldiers," protester Joel Obodov told AFP.

The premier has faced regular protests over the course of the war, with many 
rallies calling for the government to strike a ceasefire and hostage-release 
deal after past truces saw captives exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in 
Israeli custody.

Netanyahu, however, has also come under pressure from the far right to go 
harder on Hamas, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slamming the new plan 
as half-hearted.

"They decided once again to repeat the same approach, embarking on a military 
operation that does not aim for a decisive resolution," Smotrich said in a 
video posted online.

The far-right members of Netanyahu's cabinet, including Smotrich, have 
maintained considerable influence in the premier's coalition government 
throughout the war -- with their support seen as vital to holding at least 61 
seats for a parliamentary majority.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, also of the far right, told Kan 
radio on Sunday: "It is possible to achieve victory. I want all of Gaza, 
transfer and colonisation. This plan will not endanger the troops."

- 'We will win' -

Meanwhile, the cabinet's decision to expand the war in Gaza has touched off a 
wave of criticism across the globe.

On Sunday, the UN Security Council met to discuss the latest development.

"If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in 
Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced 
displacement, killings and destruction," UN Assistant Secretary-General 
Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council.

Foreign powers, including some of Israel's allies, have been pushing for a 
negotiated truce to secure the hostages' return and help alleviate a 
humanitarian crisis in the territory following repeated warnings of famine 
taking hold.

Despite the backlash and rumours of dissent from Israeli military top brass, 
Netanyahu has remained firm.

"We will win the war, with or without the support of others," he told the 
press on Sunday.

"Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to establish a civilian administration 
in the Strip that is not affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority," 
he said.

Out of 251 hostages captured during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being 
held in Gaza, including 27 the military says are dead.

Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to 
Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable.

According to Gaza's civil defence agency, at least 27 people were killed by 
Israeli fire across the territory Sunday, including 11 who were waiting near 
aid distribution centres.

Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the 
deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.